{"id":34000,"date":"2023-04-11T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/blog\/2023\/04\/11\/a-gift-that-will-keep-on-giving\/"},"modified":"2025-04-16T10:48:36","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T14:48:36","slug":"a-gift-that-will-keep-on-giving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/blog\/2023\/04\/11\/a-gift-that-will-keep-on-giving\/","title":{"rendered":"A Gift That Will Keep on Giving"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the values Jaclyn Hage<\/a>\u2019s grandparents instilled in her growing up was the importance of education. She has lived that value each day throughout her 10-year career at NC State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her current role as director of development for the Wilson College of Textiles, Hage helps connect donors with opportunities to make a difference through their philanthropy. Recently, she and her husband George, a 2004 alumnus of the university, decided to reprioritize their own giving to create a greater impact for Wolfpack students \u2014 and honor those values her grandparents shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a deep love of NC State. I feel so incredibly blessed to work for the leadership and support the students I see every day \u2014 I’m just so impressed with them,\u201d Jaclyn said. \u201cOf course, being in the field that I am, I go home and tell George all about it. That\u2019s why we started giving individually and as a family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hages have established themselves as dedicated donors, supporting Day of Giving and using Jaclyn\u2019s payroll deduction to make an immediate difference. Their giving is aimed at helping students make the most of their NC State experiences, whether that\u2019s investing in research and educational opportunities at Wilson College or addressing food insecurity through gifts to Feed the Pack Food Pantry, where Jaclyn has volunteered with her Wilson College colleagues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After years of giving back, they started thinking more deeply about their philanthropic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had been giving smaller amounts to dozens of places, and then we thought, what if we can make some more impactful things happen?\u201d George said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we thought about what matters to us, it was a no-brainer to build on our monthly and annual support to create something greater,\u201d Jaclyn added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many donors, those bigger goals can feel out of reach. However, the Hages were able to capitalize on Jaclyn\u2019s fundraising expertise to maximize their contributions by using different vehicles for giving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n
\n
\"Black<\/a>
Ann and Douglas Opitz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Black<\/a>
Photos courtesy of Jaclyn Hage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Jaclyn\u2019s grandfather had gifted her a paid life insurance policy, and as the Hages began estate planning, this gift felt like the ideal means by which to create the Douglas and Ann Opitz Scholarship at the College of Design, honoring her grandparents by extending educational opportunity to others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy grandparents were German immigrants who grew up in the Great Depression,\u201d Jaclyn said. \u201cMy grandmother completed eighth grade and my grandfather completed 12th. I wanted to honor their legacy because they weren’t able to finish their education, but they instilled the value of education in me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They chose to create a planned gift to support students in the College of Design because of the importance to the field for both Hages. Jaclyn\u2019s father was an architect and she worked at the college for several years, seeing firsthand design students\u2019 financial need and their dedication to their work. While George completed his degree in communications and works as a project manager at Red Hat, he is also a successful designer<\/a> with a long list of credits that includes the 2021 NC State LIVE T-shirt design<\/a> and work for the Hopscotch Music Festival, Dreamville Festival, Trophy Brewing, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Transfer Co. Food Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the scholarship is awarded decades from now, the Hages hope it offers affirmation in addition to financial assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI’ve heard from students that knowing that someone who they\u2019ve never met believes in them helped them through hard times. It was mental support that they never expected. And so we wanted to make sure students know we believe in them,\u201d Jaclyn said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a validation there \u2014 you\u2019re worth it,\u201d George added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of that validation speaks to George\u2019s own experiences, which helped empower his pursuit of music<\/a> after graduation \u2014 and in turn led to the full-circle moment of playing at the NC State LIVE concert series with his band Jack the Radio in 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After lending his talent and time to NC State as a musician and designer, George deepened his relationship with his alma mater by joining the Friends of the Arts NC State Board. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"George,<\/a>
George, Jaclyn and their pup, Goldie.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve stayed in the loop at NC State because of Jaclyn\u2019s work, but since joining the board, I feel even more connected,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudying music at NC State had a big impact on how I developed as a musician and how I thought about music in general. College was my first time doing music on my own, and it was a real \u2018pick your own adventure\u2019 experience. I wanted to be involved in creating these same opportunities for current students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When George learned that they could leverage matching gifts from his employer, Red Hat, funding another need-based scholarship felt much more feasible. The Hages established the George C. Hage Music Scholarship, which will provide support for a student studying music as soon as next academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By using a variety of giving methods, the Hages aren\u2019t just maximizing their impact \u2014 they are creating an enduring legacy. Jaclyn describes these recent gifts as \u201cthe start of our philanthropic journey,\u201d as they begin to think about supporting the Wilson College of Textiles in a greater way, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo many of my formative experiences as an adult have taken place at NC State,\u201d Jaclyn said. \u201cTo me, our legacy is not only honoring the people who make our ability to support possible, our family and our network, but also the institution itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re grateful to those who have allowed us to do this and also to the place where we\u2019ve been able to make a difference \u2014 and it\u2019s been at NC State.\u201d<\/p>\n

This post was originally published<\/a> in Giving News.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n

One of the values Jaclyn Hage<\/a>\u2019s grandparents instilled in her growing up was the importance of education. She has lived that value each day throughout her 10-year career at NC State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her current role as director of development for the Wilson College of Textiles, Hage helps connect donors with opportunities to make a difference through their philanthropy. Recently, she and her husband George, a 2004 alumnus of the university, decided to reprioritize their own giving to create a greater impact for Wolfpack students \u2014 and honor those values her grandparents shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a deep love of NC State. I feel so incredibly blessed to work for the leadership and support the students I see every day \u2014 I'm just so impressed with them,\u201d Jaclyn said. \u201cOf course, being in the field that I am, I go home and tell George all about it. That\u2019s why we started giving individually and as a family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hages have established themselves as dedicated donors, supporting Day of Giving and using Jaclyn\u2019s payroll deduction to make an immediate difference. Their giving is aimed at helping students make the most of their NC State experiences, whether that\u2019s investing in research and educational opportunities at Wilson College or addressing food insecurity through gifts to Feed the Pack Food Pantry, where Jaclyn has volunteered with her Wilson College colleagues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After years of giving back, they started thinking more deeply about their philanthropic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had been giving smaller amounts to dozens of places, and then we thought, what if we can make some more impactful things happen?\u201d George said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we thought about what matters to us, it was a no-brainer to build on our monthly and annual support to create something greater,\u201d Jaclyn added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many donors, those bigger goals can feel out of reach. However, the Hages were able to capitalize on Jaclyn\u2019s fundraising expertise to maximize their contributions by using different vehicles for giving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Black<\/a>
Ann and Douglas Opitz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Black<\/a>
Photos courtesy of Jaclyn Hage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Jaclyn\u2019s grandfather had gifted her a paid life insurance policy, and as the Hages began estate planning, this gift felt like the ideal means by which to create the Douglas and Ann Opitz Scholarship at the College of Design, honoring her grandparents by extending educational opportunity to others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy grandparents were German immigrants who grew up in the Great Depression,\u201d Jaclyn said. \u201cMy grandmother completed eighth grade and my grandfather completed 12th. I wanted to honor their legacy because they weren't able to finish their education, but they instilled the value of education in me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They chose to create a planned gift to support students in the College of Design because of the importance to the field for both Hages. Jaclyn\u2019s father was an architect and she worked at the college for several years, seeing firsthand design students\u2019 financial need and their dedication to their work. While George completed his degree in communications and works as a project manager at Red Hat, he is also a successful designer<\/a> with a long list of credits that includes the 2021 NC State LIVE T-shirt design<\/a> and work for the Hopscotch Music Festival, Dreamville Festival, Trophy Brewing, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Transfer Co. Food Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the scholarship is awarded decades from now, the Hages hope it offers affirmation in addition to financial assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI've heard from students that knowing that someone who they\u2019ve never met believes in them helped them through hard times. It was mental support that they never expected. And so we wanted to make sure students know we believe in them,\u201d Jaclyn said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a validation there \u2014 you\u2019re worth it,\u201d George added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of that validation speaks to George\u2019s own experiences, which helped empower his pursuit of music<\/a> after graduation \u2014 and in turn led to the full-circle moment of playing at the NC State LIVE concert series with his band Jack the Radio in 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After lending his talent and time to NC State as a musician and designer, George deepened his relationship with his alma mater by joining the Friends of the Arts NC State Board. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"George,<\/a>
George, Jaclyn and their pup, Goldie.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve stayed in the loop at NC State because of Jaclyn\u2019s work, but since joining the board, I feel even more connected,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudying music at NC State had a big impact on how I developed as a musician and how I thought about music in general. College was my first time doing music on my own, and it was a real \u2018pick your own adventure\u2019 experience. I wanted to be involved in creating these same opportunities for current students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When George learned that they could leverage matching gifts from his employer, Red Hat, funding another need-based scholarship felt much more feasible. The Hages established the George C. Hage Music Scholarship, which will provide support for a student studying music as soon as next academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By using a variety of giving methods, the Hages aren\u2019t just maximizing their impact \u2014 they are creating an enduring legacy. Jaclyn describes these recent gifts as \u201cthe start of our philanthropic journey,\u201d as they begin to think about supporting the Wilson College of Textiles in a greater way, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo many of my formative experiences as an adult have taken place at NC State,\u201d Jaclyn said. \u201cTo me, our legacy is not only honoring the people who make our ability to support possible, our family and our network, but also the institution itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re grateful to those who have allowed us to do this and also to the place where we\u2019ve been able to make a difference \u2014 and it\u2019s been at NC State.\u201d<\/p>\n"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jaclyn Hage, director of development at the Wilson College of Textiles, used a gift from her grandfather to provide educational opportunities to others. The scholarship fund is just one of the ways she and her husband George Hage \u201904 are creating a legacy of empowering student success at NC State.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":270,"featured_media":34002,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"ncstate_wire","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[416],"class_list":["post-34000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-_from-newswire-collection-71"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/270"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34000"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39232,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34000\/revisions\/39232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}